Delray Beach, Florida OCD Treatment Center

Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is characterized by uncontrollable, disturbing thoughts (obsessions) that cause an individual significant distress. These thoughts and feelings are counteracted using repetitive physical or mental acts (compulsions) that are intended to provide temporary relief. Unfortunately, these responses are ultimately a dysfunctional means of coping and do not address the underlying mental health issues that continue to plague sufferers in the long-term.

OCD is a complicated condition that can express itself in various forms or subtypes, which consist of a wide range of mental and behavioral symptoms.

Subtypes of OCD Include:

• Contamination OCD—Individuals with this form of OCD worry about contamination of themselves or possessions with germs, dust, and poisonous substances. They tend to engage in compulsive cleaning and avoidance behaviors.
• Checking OCD—Checking OCD involves recurrent worries about safety or potential danger. Those with this subtype might repeatedly check locks, appliances, and other objects to ensure they are working or in the proper condition.
• Symmetry and Ordering OCD—This form of OCD involves an obsessive concern with symmetry, exactness, and orderliness. Individuals with this subtype may spend a great deal of time cleaning, organizing, and reorganizing their living or working spaces trying to make them perfectly neat and ordered.
• Hoarding OCD—Individuals with hoarding OCD tend to acquire and keep possessions to an extent that can become unhealthy or unsanitary. Those with this subtype may hoard anything from keepsakes to used food containers.
• Harm OCD—This subtype involves intrusive thoughts about the possibility of harm in otherwise harmless situations. A person experiencing harm OCD may worry excessively about safety and practice rituals such as reciting sentences and counting.
• Sexual Orientation OCD—Sexual orientation OCD (SO-OCD) is characterized by intrusive thoughts and uncertainty about their sexual identity. A person with SO-OCD often worries about the personal and social implications of their sexual orientation and identity. They may repeatedly seek reassurance from others, frequently check their body for attractiveness, and worry that others might judge them.
• Religious or Moral OCD—Religious or moral OCD is characterized by obsessions with religious practice and morality. Individuals with this subtype may exhibit extreme worry or fear of engaging in what they perceive as sin and vice. They may also engage in ritualistic cleaning behaviors.
• Health Anxiety OCD—Individuals with this subtype experience overwhelming anxiety about their health. Common symptoms such as a headache might be taken as a sign of a potentially deadly illness. They may exhibit cleaning behaviors and obsess over their diet. They may also frequently visit their doctor or hospitals for reassurance that they are healthy.

Potential Causes & Factors Related to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

OCD results from multiple genetic, neurological, and environmental factors. These include those related to genetics, brain structure and function, imbalances in neurotransmitters, and others.1

• Genetics—Research indicates that those diagnosed with OCD may pass on certain genes that predispose their children to developing OCD. 
• Brain Structure—Variations in brain structure and function, especially in areas associated with anxiety regulation and impulse control, may play a role in the development of OCD.
• Neurotransmitters—Imbalances in neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, may contribute to OCD symptoms and behaviors. Medications that regulate these neurotransmitters are sometimes effective for treating OCD.
• Environmental Factors—Traumatic and stressful life events, such as abuse or loss, can cause OCD or worsen existing symptoms.
• Infections—Streptococcal infections have been known to lead to PANDAS, a disorder in children that involves obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Recognizing the Common Signs & Symptoms of OCD

While existence of the following signs and symptoms don’t automatically mean an individual has OCD, exhibiting one or more of them on a persistent basis or having severe bouts of these symptoms suggest an OCD screening might be beneficial.

• Intrusive Thoughts—Experiencing uninvited, intrusive, and sometimes disturbing thoughts or mental images.
• Compulsions—Engaging in repetitive, willful physical or mental actions intended to relieve anxiety associated with obsessive thoughts.
• Anxiety and Distress—High levels of stress associated with obsessions and compulsions can be temporarily relieved but persist long-term.
• Excessive Checking—Compulsively checking and rechecking locks and other items for security.
• Excessive Cleaning or Hand Washing—Practicing everyday rituals involving excessive and repetitive hand washing or cleaning.
• Ordering and Arranging—Compulsively organizing and arranging objects or surroundings due to a desire for perfection, symmetry, and orderliness.
• Hoarding—Accumulating or collecting possessions and having trouble parting with them.
• Fear of Harm—Having intrusive thoughts about impending harm and performing rituals intended to ward off bad events.
• Health Concerns—Being obsessed with health and constantly worrying about developing a serious illness.